Sunday, March 31, 2019 Lesson: Matthew 4:12-22; Time of Action: 27-28 A.D.; Place of Action: Capernaum and by the Sea of Galilee Golden Text: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). I. INTRODUCTION. Although the work of Jesus stirred great public interest, it was not the Father s plan for His Son to do all the ministry. Twelve men were chosen to learn from Jesus and then duplicated His compassion and care as they carried forth His message. While not the most talented or popular men, they were handpicked by the Messiah and called into His personal service. The beginning days of Jesus ministry prepared Him for a life of service, setting the line that service would follow. In this week s lesson text, Matthew recorded events that both confirmed Jesus identity, and also revealed early stages of His actual ministry. II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON. This week s lesson follows Jesus temptation in the wilderness (see Matthew 4:1-11). Our lesson begins with Matthew 4:12. We don t know how long it was from the time of Jesus temptations
until the time our lesson takes place, but it was probably not very long. III. JESUS BEGINS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY (Matthew 4:12-16) A. Jesus in Galilee (Matthew 4:12). Our first verse says Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee. In the early stages of His ministry, Jesus received word that John the Baptist had been cast into prison. John was thrown into prison because as Matthew 14:3-5 says, his forthright preaching brought the wrath of King Herod upon him. John the Baptist spoke against King Herod s unlawful marriage to Herodias, his sister-in-law. Herod arrested John and wanted to kill him, but he feared the Jewish multitudes who saw John as a prophet (see Matthew 21:25-26; Mark 11:32; Luke 7:28; 20:6). Knowing that John was in prison was important to Jesus because it was His signal to begin His ministry. After hearing of John s imprisonment, Jesus departed into Galilee. With John unable to continue his public ministry, it seems that the Pharisees in Jerusalem turned their attention to Jesus (see John 4:1-3). No doubt Jesus sensed that this was not the time to engage these Jewish religious leaders, so He left Judea and traveled north to the province of Galilee. There, He would begin His great Galilean ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing (see Matthew 4:23). Note: Notice that Jesus did not go into the region of Galilee until He heard
of John s imprisonment. Before John was imprisoned, he was given time to prepare the way of the Lord (see Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3; John 3:23-24), before the Lord Himself could appear and begin His ministry. It was in God s plan that John s ministry should be dimmed before Christ s ministry could shine forth (see John 3:27-28, 30); otherwise the minds of people could have been divided between the two men (see John 3:25-26). It s quite possible that some people would have said, I am of John and others, I am of Jesus, thus causing a division (see 1 Corinthians 1:11-13). John was sent to be Christ s herald, not His rival. John s ministry was concluding and Jesus ministry was just now beginning. This verse brings us to another point. God will not leave Himself without a witness or His church without leaders. When He removes one useful instrument, He can raise up another, and He will do it if He has work to be done. After the death of Moses, God said to Joshua Moses my servant is dead, now, therefore, Joshua, arise. Now, in our text, God said John is cast into prison, therefore Jesus, arise. B. Jesus settled in Capernaum according to prophecy (Matthew 4:13-16). 1. (vs. 13). This verse says And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. Although Jesus had lived for many years in Nazareth, He did not choose to make His hometown His
base of operations. Judea, the southern part of Israel, was the heart of Jewish life, so people expected prophets to minister there like John the Baptist did. But Jesus didn t fit that typical pattern. His ministry was to have a different geographical focus. Therefore, this verse says that he left Nazareth. Note: Jesus had good reason to leave Nazareth. According to Luke s gospel, the men of that city thrust him out from among them (see Luke 4:29). Jesus gave those in Nazareth the first offer of His service, but they rejected Him and His doctrine, and were filled with indignation at Him and it. Therefore, He left Nazareth, shaking the dust off His feet for a testimony against those (see Matthew 10:13-15; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5), who would not allow Him to teach them. Nazareth was the first place that refused Christ, and was therefore refused by Him. This is proof that God, will take the gospel of His grace away from those who don t want it, and also thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where He is not welcome. Scripture indicates that Jesus was welcome at Capernaum, and was received better than He had been at Nazareth (see Luke 4:31-37). The truth is, if some reject Christ, others will receive Him, and make Him welcome. Nazareth s lost was Capernaum s gain. After leaving Nazareth, this verse says that Jesus came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast. The town of Capernaum was a bustling place focused on the fishing industry. The phrase which is upon the sea coast means that Capernaum was situated along the Sea of Galilee. This verse also tells us that the town of Capernaum was located in the borders of Zabulon
and Nephthalim. These are the two cities in the north that Isaiah prophesied would first experience the Messiah s ministry as we shall see in the next 3 verses. 2. (vs. 14). This verse continues to say That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying Matthew tells us that what we read about Jesus up to this point was a fulfillment of prophecy spoken by Esaias (or Isaiah) the prophet. The prophecy that was fulfilled is quoted from Isaiah 9:1-2 with some variation as we shall see in the following verses. 3. (vs. 15). This verse says The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles As noted in the previous verse, this verse is quoted from Isaiah 9:1, but not completely. The complete verse says Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. In Isaiah s prophecy, God was promising that although Israel was experiencing great dimness or darkness and anguish due to the Assyrian invasion, that time of darkness and despair would not go on forever. Matthew picks up the prophecy in this verse with The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles but he left out the words and afterward did more grievously afflict her. It s not unusual for Bible writers to partially quote a scripture passage as Matthew does here. Many Bible scholars agree
that a clearer translation of Isaiah 9:1 would be In the past, the Lord treated Zebulun and Naphtali with judgment and contempt. But in the future, that land will be honored the land along the sea, the land east of the Jordan River, and Galilee where people from other nations live. The point of this part of the prophecy was that Zebulon (or Zabulon) and Nephthalim (or Naphtali) represented the northern kingdom which received the greatest attack by the Assyrians who carried many of them into captivity. 4. (vs. 16). This verse says The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. This verse is the second part of the prophecy. It reveals the contrast between Israel s affliction by the Assyrians in Isaiah s day and their future hope fulfilled by the presence of the Messiah. Isaiah described this when he said The people which sat in darkness saw great light. In other words, the prophet wrote that the people who lived in the region of Zabulon, and Nephthalim (or Naphtali), after all these years were still living in spiritual darkness, but now they had suddenly been illuminated by a great light. This great light arrived in the Person and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Zachariah s song when John the Baptist was born prophesied that the Messiah would give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death (see Luke 1:79). The final phrase and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up is really a Hebrew parallelism which means saying the same thing in two different ways. In other words, the first part of this verse The people which sat in darkness saw great
light and the second part and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up are making the same point about the same region of Galilee but using different phrases. The point of both phrases is that the people who live in the region of Galilee and living in spiritual darkness have now been blessed with a Great Light The Messiah. The Amplified Bible translates this verse like this: The people who were sitting (living) in (spiritual) darkness have seen a great light, and for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of (spiritual and moral) death, upon them a Light has come. Note: When the gospel of Jesus Christ comes, light comes. When the gospel comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it brings light and life (see John 3:19; Luke 1:78-79). Light is discovering and directing and so is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. IV. JESUS PREACHES AND CALLS HELPERS (Matthew 4:17-22) A. The content of Jesus preaching (Matthew 4:17). This verse says From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The words From that time refer to the time that Jesus came into Galilee, into the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. From that time Jesus began to preach. He had been preaching before this in Judea, and had made and baptized many disciples (see John 3:22; 4:1-3). But His preaching there was not as public and constant as it now
began to be. Jesus message was Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This was the same message that John the Baptist preached (see Matthew 3:1). Obviously, Jesus said other things in His preaching, but everything He said related to this basic message. The word repent means to have a change of mind. Just like John, Jesus called upon the people to change their minds about themselves, their need, the King and His kingdom. The kingdom that Jesus said was at hand was the one promised to David. It was at hand because Jesus, who was a descendant of David, was there among them (see Matthew 12:28; Luke 17:21). The heart of Jesus message concerned the spiritual preparation that would be necessary before He would set up His messianic rule on earth. B. The call of Simon Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:18-19). 1. (vs. 18). This verse says And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. As previously mentioned, Jesus was beginning His ministry in Galilee, the northern region of Israel. This verse says that at some point, Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea. As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw two men who were brothers who He wanted for His work. They were in a boat casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers or fishermen. One was named Simon which was Peter s given name, and the other brother s name
was Andrew. Jesus gave Simon the nick-name Peter or Cephas when He met the two brothers earlier while they were disciples of John the Baptist (see John 1:35-42). At that time, Jesus told him that from then on he would be called Cephas which was Aramaic or Hebrew for Peter. Both names mean a stone (see John 1:42). The Sea of Galilee is also called the Sea of Tiberias (see John 6:1; 21:1). It was about 13 miles long and eight miles wide and about 150 ft. deep. It was always filled with fish and provided a source of employment for many. 2. (vs. 19). This verse says And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Jesus call to Andrew and Peter was to the point, and included a promise: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Jesus was calling on them to leave their occupation and follow Him. Jesus promised to transform or change their work so that they would become fishers of men. They would no longer catch fish; they would now catch men. But their ability to do this would not happen overnight. Jesus would train them for this purpose. As they followed Jesus, they would develop spiritually and also gain the skills needed to teach others. Jesus taught His disciples so that they could teach others. The Apostle Paul did the same thing with Timothy (see II Timothy 2:2). Note: The Lord often calls helpers while they are engaged in their normal work. These two men were faithfully doing their everyday duties to earn a living when Jesus called them. His call to them didn t mean there was anything wrong with what they were doing. He simply wanted them to be engaged in a higher calling. Andrew and
Peter may have become Jesus followers in the sense of accepting Him as Messiah and Saviour before this time (see John 1:35-41). What Matthew recorded for us here, is their call from the Lord to discipleship and apostleship. This call involved the surrender of their lives to the Savior just as it does for believers today. C. The response of Simon Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:20). This verse says And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. The two brothers responded to Jesus with immediate and decisive obedience. They didn t demand more information or a guarantee of success from Jesus. We are told that they straightway (or immediately) left their nets, and followed him. Very likely they had helpers to whom they turned over their work. This does not necessarily mean they never fished again for profit, or that they simply gave away their business investment. It only means that from this point on they became special and regular helpers and learners of the Lord Jesus. Note: For the next three years, Simon and Andrew persevered with Jesus, even as opposition grew more hostile. Their discipleship faltered at times, but it never crumbled in the face of distress. They learned from Jesus how to be fishers of men, and when He returned to heaven, they continued His ministry on earth. Their immediate obedience led to continuing faithfulness as Jesus disciples. The Lord is always looking for the kind of response these two brothers gave Him. However, everyone is not required to go into a so-called full-time ministry. In a very real sense, every believer is to serve the Lord full-time, or all the
time. Not everyone is expected to earn their living in the ministry. God needs dedicated followers in the shop, the factory, the school and the business world. D. The call of James and John (Matthew 4:21). This verse says And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. As Jesus continued to walk along the shore, He saw another set of brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. They were in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets which were probably torn while fishing. When not fishing, fishermen usually spent their time repairing their nets. Then we are told that Jesus called them. The same call went out to these two brothers that had gone out to Peter and Andrew earlier. Again, Jesus summoned these ordinary hardworking men to His service. Jesus sought people of diligence whom He could equip as His disciples. The same character that made them good fishermen would be transformed into commitment to godly ministry or service. We often forget that God does enlist those with ordinary abilities to work in His vineyard. What He wants is willing and dedicated people. E. The response of James and John (Matthew 4:22). Our final verse says And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. Just as Peter and Andrew had done, James and John immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him (Jesus). How wonderful it would be if men and women today would
likewise hear and heed the Savior s call! None of these fishermen offered any excuses (see Luke 14:15-24). They did not ask for time to think about the Savior s invitation to them. With all haste, they left everything, the ship and their father and followed the Lord Jesus. Their father s response is not recorded by Matthew. What we may conclude from this is that some are called to stay at home and work faithfully for the Lord while carrying out the necessary duties of life. Note: These four disciples, Andrew Peter, James and John had a special place in the ministry of Christ. Although Andrew is not mentioned often in the Gospels, whenever he appears it is in a significant positive role (see Mark 13:2-4; John 1:40-42; 12:21-23). Simon Peter, James and John formed Jesus inner circle of disciples. They were the only ones who were present at some of the most significant events in Jesus ministry, particularly His transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1-8), and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:36-46). Interestingly, all three men were rough-hewn by nature. Peter was prone to be impetuous and erratic (see Matthew 14:28; 26:33-35; John 18:10-11), while James and John were hot tempered, once wanting to call down fire on a town that had snubbed their Master (see Luke 9:52-54). Nevertheless, Jesus molded them into men of God to whom He could entrust His ministry. He took these fishermen with all of their problems, developed their potential and made them fishers of men. In Jesus hands, the most unlikely people can become powerful forces for God.
V. Conclusion. Seven hundred years earlier, the Prophet Isaiah prophesied that the northern tribes of Galilee, Zebulun and Naphtali would see a great light (see Isaiah 9:1-2). The region of Israel that had suffered most from foreign invaders in the Old Testament would be the first to hear the Messiah. This prophecy was fulfilled in the early ministry of Jesus Christ as He taught and healed many who followed Him. ***The International Sunday School Lesson Curriculum***